Field experiences are learning activities completed outside the classroom that correlate to and supplement the content taught in academic coursework. Much like other types of experiential learning, field experiences start with identifying how lessons learned in class can be applied to activities or problems in the real world through active experimentation. Next, students actively engage in the activity. Lastly, students reflect on their experiences and draw conclusions based on what they’ve learned. Field experiences have a variety of forms, such as nursing school clinicals, field trips, cultural site visits, archaeological digs, and more.
Some benefits of field experiences include:
Enhancing intrinsic motivation and interest in the subject.
Providing first-hand real-world experiences.
Adding relevance and meaning to learning.
Developing observation and perception skills.
Developing social and personal skills.
Enhancing relationships between students in the classroom.
Questions about how you can provide field experiences for your students; or how to incorporate field experiences within your courses?
The Experiential Education and Engagement Center and the Office of the Provost offer funding for faculty-led field experiences.
To learn more about applying for funding, please review the Guidelines for Proposals for Undergraduate Field Experience below.
